Goodbye, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic starred in their final duel at the majestic The Venue in Riyadh. The match, a showdown with nothing at stake, ended with victory for Djokovic, who won 6-2 and 7-6 (5).
This conflict marks the last appearance of Nadal outside Spainfor his final farewell will be in the Davis Cup in Malaga in November.
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Nadal is preparing for his farewell
Nadal, who is now far from the fight for the big titles, is trying to accumulate hours of play to get in good shape. official farewell.
In 2024, the Spaniard has played less twenty gameswhile Djokovic is still active, facing the new generations of tennis players like Carlos Alcaraz y Jannik Siner.
“Don’t leave tennis. Stay a little longer. Stay with us.”
From Novak Djokovic to Rafael Nadal ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BjMCMDphTn
— VarskySports (@VarskySports) October 19, 2024
A duel full of symbolism
Although the difference between the two was visible on the scoreboard, the rivalry between Nadal and Djokovic remains legendary. This match was a reminder of how popular both were, especially with the Nadal is retiring.
The match started with an early break from Djokovic, and although Nadal showed flashes of his old form in the second set, he could not avoid defeat. The match ended with an emotional hug between the two and a warm shout-out to the Spaniard.
An unparalleled legacy
Although this duel does not count for the official statistics, the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry He will remain one of the greatest in tennis history. Throughout 18 yearsthe two opposed each other in 60 official gameswith Djokovic taking 31 wins and Nadal 29.
Between them, they add up to a total of 46 Grand Slam titles and a career that left its mark on world tennis.
